This is something I would love to see happen........
I would love to see Bronze, Silver and Gold league shots. If you bowl on a Bronze level (Easy) then any high game awards will be recorded under the Bronze level pattern, Silver should be (FIQ style patterns, and ill be honest and say they are much easier than everyone thinks) again any awards can be awarded under that level and then have GOLD level high game awards and earn the ring for 300 or perhaps each centre could put up a 300/800 series prize. (Again the gold level lane conditions wouldn’t be impossible, but like SPC, tough)
Some places I have been actually give away a $30,000 car, in order to win it, before you start your league, you pay a small fee (I think it was $5) and then if you bowl 300, the car is yours, but the condition is brutal.
Perhaps centers/events can incorporate this into their leagues or at a tournament. It another way to make a little bit of money plus each player knows that no matter what, no matter how bad they may be bowling, there is still something to play for every game.
If bowlers are given the option to bowl in these 3 kinds of league conditions, then they can make up their own mind, plus is a small stepping stone in terms of challenging the bowler. Perhaps as they get better, they will want to bowl on the harder conditions. All they have to do is bowl in a centre with a Silver or Gold league.
This should also be used in our national events. Have 3 kinds of level conditions, but make the prize money and the prestige of the bronze tournament much smaller then that of the silver and gold.
Now im not saying limit only bronze level bowlers, I would still bowl in it, but let the guys and girls who want to average 210 and come 40th bowl, they will still enjoy and be happy with their games and maybe want to try a silver/gold event.
With our current formats, "gold" level conditions are impossible to lay down and keep everyone happy. You get one shot at it, if you don’t have the right bowling balls or you don’t know enough about lane conditions, you will feel as though you wasted your money.
I agree that bowling on tough patterns improves a players skill, but bowling on tough patterns, with wrong bowling balls/playing in the wrong part of the lane does no one any favors.
Check out bowl.com and see what the PBA players have done in explaining their PBA patterns. I think it’s under the "SPORT BOWLING" tab.
They help you to understand each of the 5 patterns and what equipment to use.
Something maybe we can do here as well when competing at a higher level!
Ok..... so now we have 3 levels of conditions for people to play on in league, if they are bowling great on a bronze level shot, they can bowl at a bronze level event knowing that the condition will be easy, if a bronze bowler wants to test his game out against the countries best in a Gold level event, he knows already how tough the condition may be, there for can not complain about the pattern.
In almost every sport there are some kind of stepping stones for players to jump on to get better, bowling is one of the only sports that doesn’t.
If SPC this year was the first event I have ever played on, then im not sure if I would go back (until I was ready) but if I could play some easier style events to get the hang of traveling and competing, it may take a few years, but I would then work my way through the levels.
But this is just an idea, and would be extremely hard for a nation as a whole to run this kind of leagues, but in a perfect world..........
Belmo